Writing for the NYTimes, Manohla Dargis lauds Abrams, a
longstanding "Star Wars" fan, as the perfect choice to bring the
series into the twenty first century: "Mr.
Abrams may be as worshipful as any "Star Wars" obsessive, but in "The
Force Awakens" he's made a movie that goes for old-fashioned escapism
even as it presents a futuristic vision of a pluralistic world that his
audience already lives in. He hasn't made a film only for true
believers; he has made a film for everyone."

Kate Muir of The London Times agrees with the sentiment, arguing that "while
George Lucas came up with the brilliant idea, Abrams is a better action
director, and takes 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' into more
sophisticated territory."